7.5.2020 – I had another break from writing this blog page.
The UK as a nation has really revealed just how much of a mess we’re in.
I’d never place the fault upon leadership alone. This is a shared responsibility, but we truly are in turmoil that’s going to change life as we know it.
The biggest sign of our nation’s problems is the fact that just over a month ago, we were consumed by fear and as a result, survival instinct kicked in; people panic-bought to the chagrin of their neighbour.
There was no “love your neighbour” here in London.
The primary motivation was self-preservation – “save one’s self!”
Today–about a month and half later after the excessive fear–the UK has jumped to the other extreme of arrogance and pride.
Disregarding the pandemic advisory, people are forcing a release from lock down and doing what they want in the name of their own moral compass, which more often than not is driven by money.
Wealth VS health – this is the decision.
It’s unbelievable to watch the jump from mass FEAR to mass PRIDE, but it’s real and it’s happening.
We will never be the same again, but I’m thankful to have God. With Him, this change–no matter how big–won’t impact us if we keep our minds on Jesus, who is consistently steadfast in all situations.
(34) The Mission of all Missions
2017 – 2018. Age thirty-four.
That moment in August 2017 when I’d surrendered to God had changed something in me.
Shortly after, God called.
The prompting I felt was to go on Christian outreach with an American branch of Youth With a Mission (YWAM).
This was the furthest thing from what I wanted in life.
I was finally getting settled into my church and I didn’t enjoy travelling.
I also didn’t like America or the thought of getting on a plane to travel to that side of the world again after my Caribbean life experience.
All of it was against my desires, but I knew what I had to do.
A week into mulling over my decision, and I found myself auto-piloting the application process for the mission trip.
Suddenly, the worst Atlantic hurricane of recent times hit the Caribbean Islands and America. It was the infamous Irma.
This personally affected my decision in the strangest of ways.
My occupation’s headquarters had been located in the centre of that storm!
It meant I would have no income of which to go on the mission trip.
But, this did something odd to me. It confirmed my decision rather than hindering it.
I knew.
I was to apply for the mission school in the States and rely upon God to make a way financially.
I did this by faith and God did make a way…but this was not without a trial of its own.
I had to go against one of my founding principles and seek financial support. Ask for help.
THIS. WAS. VERY. HARD.
God did his part to make it easy.
It was my pride that made it hard.
I absolutely detested the idea of seeking funds from people, but this was (and is) how true Christian mission is done.
It worked and the money was raised…
India Visa Image – 2017 
January 2018 – Leaving for YWAM Christian Mission Discipleship School
In Nov 2017, I was supposed to return to Chennai, India.
Something that still hasn’t been fully explained, occurred.
We reached the boarder of Chennai and were refused entry by the authorities.
The general understanding was that the Government that had come into power were clamping down on Christians visiting the country.
We were rejected on the basis of a visa violation as we’d gone as visitors and required a missionary visa; however, this had never been an issue in previous years and missionary visas were costly, longer to process, and were often rejected.
For us, the mystery was this: why God? Why did we not get into Chennai?
To compensate, our follow-up retreat in the English countryside of Hertfordshire that week, allowed us time to rest and recuperate in God’s Word.
I felt fully rejuvenated, but the ordeal still left a mystery…
In January 2018, I travelled to Oregon, US for Youth with a Mission Discipleship Training School.
Its primary purpose was training believers into fulfilling the Great Commission – specifically going abroad to other nations to spread the Word of God.
This trip was a huge step of faith for me, landing me first in Salem, Oregon, where myself and thirty other students learnt profound teachings about God over the course of three months.
I was staying in bunk house with 18 other guys and there was consistent communal worship, prayer, intercession, and street evangelism throughout the course.
After the initial lecture phase in Oregon, we spent two months in our chosen international locations abroad.
In the different countries, we prayed for people, and worshipped with them.
We also built relationships with non-believers by teaching English through the programmes that were already set up, supporting missionaries out there in their everyday lives.
We saw prophesying come to fruition, we witnessed healing take place, and we saw deliverance.
In one particular situation during our stay in Nepal, we climbed a two-hour hike from our village to one situated higher up in the mountains.
As we were praying for people, we came upon a demon-possessed woman.
For most of us, it was the first time seeing anything like this let alone hearing a demon talk through a woman.
Throughout the entire mission, what was surprising was the internal transformation.
I learnt of my deepest wounds and the one that was highlighted the most was when I was six years old.
I hadn’t realised how much damage the girls had done in their innocence, naivety, and ignorance by saying that I was dirty and God didn’t clean me. But it had shaped me entirely.
Among these experiences, the major transformation I personally enjoyed, was further heart-felt surrender to the Lord, mainly in the form of submitting to HIM my future geographical location.
This was completely unexpected and very much unlike me; I recall when Operation Mobilisation founder George Verwer visited our church and when he asked if anyone would be interested in jumping on one of his missionary ships.
I remember the extremely strong NO, that emitted from every fibre in my body.
Now, that answer would be very different, because God has truly taken me even deeper, showing me that my life is HIS, not by some horrible force, but as a great privilege to serve HIM wherever I’m needed.
Following the calling of God when I returned from the mission in June 2018, He led me into several ministries. Perhaps the most daunting of these ministries was street evangelism.
I recall the first time really feeling that I was no longer the same person as dozens of people passed me at Oxford Circus, London while I tried to hand out tracts about Christ.
A mixture of embarrassment and lowliness held my mind in a strange place.
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